FOUNDERING OF AN OUTWARD BOUND STEAMER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3668, 17 April 1883, Page 4

FOUNDERING OF AN OUTWARD BOUND STEAMER.

The Kenmuro Castle, bound from London to Hong Kong, foundered on Feb. 2 in the Bay of Biscay during a violent gale. All the passengers and eight of the crew we're saved and conveyed lo Boulonge by the Montalaire. a I'Yeiieh stetmer. It appears that several mishap- befd the vessel prior to her leaving the Channel. On February, I, at sunset, the saloon was crushed, and in the course of the night, carried bodily away, the waf'-r entering- freely. The passengers weve with difficulty conveyed to the engineroom, tin; ladies in Heir night attire. Finding that the steamer was tilling and the water in the stokehole, a boat wa.s launched by order of 1 lie captain, who placed all the ]>a~senuvrs ;i lady from Bedford and her three (laughters, Mr and Mrs Harrock, of Swatow. China, Mr and Mrs Alexander J. Henry, of Dundee, late of Ceylon, in her. Mr liolness, second officer, the'third officer, and a crew of seven Chinamen, also got in. Scarcely had the boat left, when the vessel suddenly went, down with between o0 and 10 men on board. 'I.'he high sea threatened at every moment to swamp the boat. Mr Holness, knowing- he was 1 f>o miles from land, endeavoured lo steer in the track of outward and homeward bound ships. On the .second (lav, the third officer, from want of food, became mad, and jumped overboard, but was saved after an hour had elapsed by throwing an oar to him. On the third day the ladies were sinking fast. The privation was intense, no food of any description having been placed in the boat. The lady passengers were tossing for three days in the open sea in their nightdresses, the only further clot-hing obtainable being the men's coats and a shawl. The occupants of the boat were at last reduced to (.•hewing - Mr llarrock's flannel vest as their only ration till they were picked up. Several vessels were sighted, and one especially, although quite near, took no notice. On the evening of the third, day the Montalaire bore down and took them all on board. Every kindness was shown to them by the eantain and crew of this ve:,,el.